UMBELLIFERAE CICUTA 



653 



The resinous cicutoxin, according to Boehm, is an uncrystallizable bitter 

 body. The fatal dose, according to Chesnut, is 50 milligrams for each kilogram 

 of body weight when administered through the mouth and 7 milligrams when 

 injected hypodermically. 





Fig. 372. European Water Hemlock (Cicuta vir- 

 osa). A poisonous plant containing cicutoxin. (From 

 Vesque's Traite de Botanique). 



Mr. Chesnut says : 



Its true chemical nature is not definitely known, but it is probable that it contains the 

 alkaloid coniin. and the bitter principle cicutoxin, the latter of which is characteristic of the 

 European water hemlock (Cicuta virosa). Both are powerful poisons, but the latter is the 

 more violent and produces most of the symptoms characteristic of the plant. The American 

 water-hemlock is one of the most poisonous plants native to the United States. Its victims 

 include both men and animals. The underground parts are the most poisonous, and are es- 

 pecially dangerous, because they are often washed or frozen out of the soil and thus exposed 

 to view. 



There are quite a number of cases of human poisoning on record in Wis- 

 consin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Stock is also poisoned. People who are poisoned 

 generally mistake the roots for parsnips. In Iowa it is often called wild par- 

 snip. The roots of this plant are fascicled and never conical as in the true 

 parsnip. During one season five children were poisoned in the state of Iowa, 

 three dying, from eating the roots. Several cases of stock poisoning have 

 occurred in Iowa and are referred to by the writer. The following interesting 

 experience is related by Mr. J. A. Minteer, who says : 



I have just had a strange experience with my cattle, having lost a four year old cow and 

 a yearling calf. I think that they were poisoned on some kind of weed root found in the 

 slough. I locate it on a spot where a hay stack stood about two years ago. It had been re- 

 moved except the spoiled hay in the bottom. Last fall being dry, I pitched it up, dried and 

 burned the old hay, sowed rye and timothy seed, ran the disc harrow over it several times and 

 noticed that we turned out lots of roots like small sweet potatoes, except that they were all 

 connected at the top. I thought they were the root of a weed that grows a stalk similar to a 

 seeded parsnip, have a straggly top similar to an elder berry when in bloom. The stalk when 

 mature is hollow. Now I am not certain that I am right about the top as it had been mowed 

 before I discovered the tubers. I never thought of them doing any harm, just thought we had 

 torn them out so they would die and do me no harm, but as the cattle. 17 in number were 



